The Aletschgletscher (Aletsch Glacier) is the glacier that flows down the south side of these peaks. The Sphinx Observatory is right at the top of the glacier. So, as Chateau says, it is probably the "observatory" mentioned in the clue. The clue is probably the instructions to go to the Roadblock, imo.

Remember when Margie & Luke led the pack in the grueling cheese wheel challenge in season 14? Get ready for a Switchback challenge this Sunday when the Racers must do the same... on a hillside deep in snow!

IIRC, the wooden sleds last time were described in terms that suggested that they weren't in great shape, and could easily fall apart.

Since it is understood that the location is not identical (like a different hillside in the same neighborhood) the angle might be a little different; but the big difference is the presence of a pretty hefty snowpack on the hillsides, and in the whole area in fact.

I'm going to check Weather Underground and see if we have any information on how deep that snowpack was on the apparent day of filming.

Edit: The closest location I could find with weather information near the Eiger mountain was Grindelwald, Grindelwald, Kt. Bern. However, I can't find daily precipitation information at that location especially during the five days between the listed timeline dates for the prior and the subsequent days. The only Interlachen station I could find with information is next to a lake, and that doesn't help.

I imagine that the cheese challenge was much safer this time due to the energy absorbing nature of the snow. It would tend to slow down the rolling cheese wheel should it get away.

The cheese racks that they used in Season 14 were made especially for the task with intentional weaknesses. This is what I learned by talking to one of the local craftsmen who made them (summer of 2010).

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

Edit: The closest location I could find with weather information near the Eiger mountain was Grindelwald, Grindelwald, Kt. Bern. However, I can't find daily precipitation information at that location especially during the five days between the listed timeline dates for the prior and the subsequent days. The only Interlachen station I could find with information is next to a lake, and that doesn't help.

I have found historical weather information for Visp, which would be roughly the same as for Brig and Grindelwald. For Visp, the minimum temperature did not drop below freezing until Oct. 28, when huge precipitation occurred. It stayed below freezing on min. temp until Nov. 25. The next major precipitation occurred on Nov. 28 when the min. temp was 3 degree centigrade.

Teams race through Switzerland where they grapple with giant wheels of cheese in a return to a classic Race challenge "Switchback," and Racers are on the edge when they dangle thousands of feet in the air traversing the north face of Eiger mountain on the next episode of The Amazing Race airing Sunday at 8/7c. Only CBS

No, they all seem to have their gnomes on the slope. I'll try to do some caps tonight.

And yes, thank you Will! We have it.

Logged

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan